SHAVUOT 5785

Moments of Discovery: From Sinai to San Francisco

Sunday, June 1

Join us for an evening of learning, connection, and celebration as we honor the tradition of Shavuot in a vibrant community-wide event hosted at Congregation Beth Sholom.

5:30 p.m.

Family Program and Pizza

Registration and payment required for pizza

7:00 p.m.

All Community Opening Session

Childcare available (age 5+) in the LabPlaySpace

9:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m.

Breakout Learning

Educator details and session descriptions below

11:00 p.m.

Closing Circle and Late-Night Learning Session

Rabbi David Kasher

Come as you are. Discover something new. Connect with community.

  • Ancient Wisdom Meets Modern Discovery

    This Shavuot, embark on a journey from the bustling innovation of San Francisco to the sacred heights of Mount Sinai. Our community will gather for a special night of Torah study, conversation, and insight as we explore the theme: "Moments of Discovery from Sinai to San Francisco."

  • Keynote Speaker: Rabbi David Kasher

    We are honored to welcome Rabbi David Kasher from Hadar, who will guide us through an exploration of finding new discoveries in Torah. His insights bridge ancient text with modern understanding, inviting us to experience Torah as a living, breathing source of wisdom for our lives today.

  • A Night of Community & Learning

    Our Shavuot celebration embraces:

    Thought-provoking learning sessions connecting ancient wisdom to contemporary life

    Warm community gathering with light refreshments

    Space for both seasoned Torah scholars and newcomers to Jewish learning

7:00 p.m.

The Joy of Discovery in the Beit Midrash

Rabbi David Kasher
Hadar
Koret Hall

The experience of discovery was a central feature of the Rabbinic philosophy of education, for reasons that take us straight back to Mount Sinai. In tonight's big Beit Midrash session, we will not only study rabbinic descriptions of the thrill of discovery, but also try to experience that thrill in real time.

9:00–9:50 p.m.

  • Nurturing Your Soul’s Microbiome: Sustenance for Spiritual Wellness

    Rabbi Batshir Torchio
    JCCSF
    Main Meeting Room

    The stomach is much more than a factory for processing food. Scientists and theologians consider that food is the mediator between the physical and the spiritual realms. Let’s nosh on this together!

  • Singing Into the Garden: Piyyutim for Shavuot

    Cantor Sharon Bernstein
    Sha’ar Zahav
    Chapel

    Piyutim are liturgical poems by the great poets of our tradition which are sung all over the Jewish world, from piyutim such as Adon Olam and L’cha Dodi included in our prayers, to the z’mirot of Shabbat sung at the table, to bakashot sung in the middle of the night, to poetry specific to particular holidays and occasions, each with melodies and music particular to the geographical location of the community. In this workshop, we will learn and sing together piyutim lush with garden, Torah, and love imagery for Shavuot, with melodies from Cochin (India), Afghanistan, Algeria, Morocco, and Iraq.

  • What It Means to be a Jew — according to Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel

    Rabbi Ryan Bauer
    Emanu-El
    Sanctuary

    Discover the profound insights of Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel on Jewish identity, spirituality, and moral responsibility. Together, we'll explore what it truly means to be a Jew in today's world through Heschel's timeless teachings.

  • Justice, Memory, and Musical Theater: Jewish Texts Through the Lens of “Parade”

    Rabbi Noah Westreich
    Emanu-El
    Library

    For Young Adults:
    A musical theater-themed text study diving into Parade, the Tony-winning show now playing in San Francisco through June 8. Using scenes and songs from the musical as our springboard, we’ll explore powerful Jewish texts on justice, antisemitism, and identity. Whether you’ve seen the show or plan to afterward, this session brings Torah into conversation with one of Broadway’s most haunting stories. This session invites thoughtful conversation at the intersection of culture, history, and Jewish learning.

10:00–10:50 p.m.

  • Two Souls One Body: The Origins of Love in Jewish, Greek, and Islamic Texts

    Rabbi Chayva Lehrman
    Am Tikvah
    Main Meeting Room

    Where does love come from? Ancient Jewish, Greek, and Islamic texts offer surprising answers. Is love a (re)union of souls, a return to wholeness, or the repair of human incompleteness? In this class, we’ll explore foundational stories—from Genesis to Plato to the Qur’an—that speak to the deep human longing for connection, unity, and meaning.

  • Yearning to Belong: A Story of the Abayudaya Community and Belonging

    Samson Nderitu, Rabbinic Intern
    Beth Sholom
    Sanctuary

    Using Jewish text and story, Samson will guide us in discussion and learning about the Abayudaya Jews in Uganda and Kenya and their struggle to be recognized by the international Jewish community.

  • Our Spiritual Harvest: How Do We HONOR Others and Ourselves?

    Rabbi Shana Chandler Leon
    Ner Tamid
    Chapel

    The fifth of the iconic "Ten Commandments" that we read again on Shavuot enjoins us to "Honor your Father and Mother." What does that mean for us? How does Mussar (a transformative Jewish soul-practice) interpret the way to demonstrate and cultivate kavod/honor in our time?

11:00 p.m. until you fall asleep!

The Mystic Power of New Ideas: Songs and Teachings from Rebbe Nachman of Breslov

Rabbi David Kasher
Hadar
Chapel

As we head toward the midnight hour, we'll spend some time with a thinker who encouraged late night learning and singing. Rebbe Nachman spoke often of the great spiritual power generated by hiddushei Torah — new insights in Torah. Together we will study some of Rebbe Nachman's hiddushim, and try to generate some of our own — and then close the evening with some of his songs.

Keep the Traditions Going

  • Monday, June 2

    9:30 a.m.
    Shavuot Morning Services
    Rabbi Amanda Russell and Rabbinic Intern Samson Nderitu

    12:00 p.m.
    Light Kiddush and Lunch-n-Learn
    Rabbi David Kasher

    Our Complicated Origins: Questions of Lineage in The Book of Ruth

    The Book of Ruth raises profound questions about identity, belonging, and who gets to be part of the Jewish story. But a close reading of the Biblical text reveals a hidden layer of messaging that seems to intentionally complexify all these questions.

    Join for the whole morning or just for lunch and learning!

  • Tuesday, June 3

    Tuesday, June 3

    9:30 a.m.
    Shavuot Morning Services with Yizkor
    Rabbi Amanda Russell and Rabbinic Intern Samson Nderitu

    6:00 p.m.
    In-Person Mincha

    Help us make a minyan!

Community Partners